Mounting a Light on the Fork
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,016
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Mounting a Light on the Fork
I don't commute but thought this group would provide some good feedback.
I need space on my handlebar so I want to mount my headlight on the fork. I bought a Problem Solvers brake-on fork mount, and can attach that to the fender eyelet on my fork (bottom of the fork blade). I don't use fenders so have this available. This light is 'to see', and I usually only need the light for 30-60 minutes on morning rides, other than in summer.
My question is if you've done this and does it adequately light up the road, compared to mounting on the handlebars. We have snow for the foreseeable future so I won't be using it anytime soon...but I'm both bored and curious!
I need space on my handlebar so I want to mount my headlight on the fork. I bought a Problem Solvers brake-on fork mount, and can attach that to the fender eyelet on my fork (bottom of the fork blade). I don't use fenders so have this available. This light is 'to see', and I usually only need the light for 30-60 minutes on morning rides, other than in summer.
My question is if you've done this and does it adequately light up the road, compared to mounting on the handlebars. We have snow for the foreseeable future so I won't be using it anytime soon...but I'm both bored and curious!
#2
Senior Member


Joined: May 2010
Posts: 5,623
Likes: 2,485
From: Bastrop Texas
Bikes: Univega, Peu P6, Peu PR-10, Ted Williams, Peu UO-8, Peu UO-18 Mixte, Peu Dolomites
I use two small white lights mounted on my fork arms. They are USB rechargeable due to thier small size. With both of them on I probably get a wide lighted area of about 200 Lumen. For full street illumination I use a 400 lumen Head Lamp mounted on my helmet using 3 AAA batteries. I am more comfortable with my head lamp for illumination most likely due to my spelunking days...
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Last edited by zandoval; 01-10-22 at 06:20 PM.
#3
Half way there

Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 2,967
Likes: 895
From: North Carolina
Bikes: Many, and the list changes frequently
I have a dyno powered light mounted on my fork crown that works well; however I like to use another light mounted low on the fork. By aiming it relatively flat (but slightly downward), the small grazing angle of incidence allows me to see road imperfections better.
#6
Senior Member

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,655
Likes: 2,388
From: Colorado Springs, CO
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Specialized Rockhopper, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V
I did this four years ago:

It was a temporary thing, but it seemed to light my way just fine, although I do have a secondary helmet light.
The Low-Down on my Front Light Mount Hack

It was a temporary thing, but it seemed to light my way just fine, although I do have a secondary helmet light.
The Low-Down on my Front Light Mount Hack
#9
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 9,686
Likes: 2,605
From: northern Deep South
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
On occasion I'll take the "bike path" to/from work. This has 3/4 mile of really nasty pavement, such that I think of Lance Armstrong's "cross country" downhill leg from 20 years ago while riding it some evenings.
Anyhow, the fork crown mount seems to be a pretty good balance between lighting up the path and highlighting the ridges from the cracked pavement. I've thought about moving it to a Nob on the rack mount in the middle of the fork, but I doubt I'd want to go all the way down to the bottom of the fork. At some point it would be so low that surface irregularities could hide from the lowest light mount -- things like puddles if it's raining, or broken glass.
Anyhow, the fork crown mount seems to be a pretty good balance between lighting up the path and highlighting the ridges from the cracked pavement. I've thought about moving it to a Nob on the rack mount in the middle of the fork, but I doubt I'd want to go all the way down to the bottom of the fork. At some point it would be so low that surface irregularities could hide from the lowest light mount -- things like puddles if it's raining, or broken glass.




